The male way of mourning divorce: When, what, and how

Based on the literature on divorce, this paper explores the distinct ways in which men mourn the losses inherent in the breakup of a marriage. It argues that men have a distinct way of mourning that differs from that of women. They start the mourning process later than women, mourn the loss of their home and children more than the loss of their wives, and tend to express their mourning through actions rather than in words or obvious emotional manifestations of grief. The paper considers possible reasons for these behaviors and their implications for practitioners.